Irish recruit Conor McKenna has shown strong progress during the first eight weeks of pre-season training with noticeable improvements in his kicking ability. 

The 18-year-old returned to Ireland during the recent Christmas break but could not wait to re-join his teammates and chase his football dream.

Development coach Paul Corrigan said the 18-year-old had showed very positive signs during recent match simulation sessions at training.

“We have been really pleased with his kicking and decision making under pressure because he has had tacklers coming at him which he is not used to either.”

“He has been able to dispose of the ball and use his kicking technique to hit targets which has been good.”

McKenna said he was pleased with the progress he had made on improving his kicking technique to adapt to the oval shaped ball.

“One of the main things I have been working on kicking is the ball drop, if you don’t get the ball drop right then it can go anywhere,” McKenna said.

“It is just practicing getting the ball drop onto your foot because I swing the ball about so Paul tells me to just keep it in front of your body.

“I need to drop it straight and that is the main thing.”

The pair have been working together on extra teaching sessions to try and fast track the Irishman’s pathway into the AFL system.

“He has been fantastic and taken on board all the extra sessions we have put in place for him,” Corrigan said.

“A lot of the extra sessions we have been doing have been before training in the mornings which has been associated around his quick and clean hands work.”

“In the afternoon’s we have been focussing more on his kicking and you can see from the Irish game coming across to AFL that they do kick differently.”

“That has been a lot of the focus prior to Christmas and we have been able to see a lot of improvement in that eight weeks so that has been great.”

McKenna’s tackling technique already has been put on display at training as he catches a number of teammates off guard with his pace and tackling.

Corrigan said despite the significant improvement in his game over the last few months there was still plenty of work to do before he was ready to play at AFL level.

“There is still a lot of progress to go, when you talk about footy there is still a lot within a game plan that he needs to learn,” Corrigan said.

“He wants to learn, he is probably in a rush as well and has to do something pretty extraordinary to get himself to the AFL.”

“He understands that he has to put in this time with the extra sessions.”

“I am really enjoying working with someone who wants to learn and it is an easy process because he is always there turning up and putting his best foot forward.”